windows 7 Backup and Restore using excessive disk space


  1. Posts : 1
    windows 7 home premium 64bit
       #1

    windows 7 Backup and Restore using excessive disk space


    I recently started using a new 1.5 TB USB disk for backup and now Backup and Restore starts a new backup every other day. Additionally, on the first day the backup is 80 GB, increases to 140 GB on the second day, and on the third day starts a new data file backup. At this rate my new disk will be full in less than a month. Any help will be appreciated.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 12,012
    Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 64-bit
       #2

    Have you deliberately scheduled the backup to be done every other day? Or would you prefer some other interval? Or are these backups run manually, not on an automated schedule?

    What do you think you are backing up? Your personal data only? The entire C partition only? All partitions on all hard drives?

    I gave up on Windows Backup, but it sounds like it is making new full backups of both the operating system and personal data every other day (quite possibly the entire C partition). In most situations, that would be excessive.

    A more typical schedule would be to back up personal data ONLY on a daily basis, and a backup of your "system" (Windows) much less often--weekly or monthly or quarterly. Each personal data backup would NOT double the amount of space used because all that would be changed from the first backup would be files that are brand new, modified, or deleted. Each "system" backup WOULD occupy about as much space as the previous one, but older ones could be deleted at will.

    But Windows Backup is cryptic and confusing at first glance, which is why I gave up on it. Are you wedded to using it, rather than some other more easily understood application?
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 4,751
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32-Bit - Build 7600 SP1
       #3

    linkage said:
    I recently started using a new 1.5 TB USB disk for backup and now Backup and Restore starts a new backup every other day. Additionally, on the first day the backup is 80 GB, increases to 140 GB on the second day, and on the third day starts a new data file backup. At this rate my new disk will be full in less than a month. Any help will be appreciated.
    Where are you backing up to? Are you using the same disk as your Windows is on or a different disk? I use
    Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download as does a lot of other people on here. There is no need to keep all of your backups forever. I have a large drive that I only use only for backups and when it gets full, I delete all but the newest three backups.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 13,576
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #4

    Is this a home pc, why are you doing backups every other day, backup your data manually, and make a disk image if you haven`t already.
      My Computer


 

  Related Discussions
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 7 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 7" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:50.
Find Us